i spring cleaned my little heart out.  added a handmade (knitted?  crocheted?) throw to our buffet.  part of the latest shipment of family memories from my dad, consisting entirely of handmade items from my grandmas unknown.  i think it brightens up the room more than the old sari i was using in its place.

i ate the food i wanted to eat (mostly leftover tofu tacos and tons of fruit, ahem).

i made this little cinnamon bread recipe.

i read my next book club book (the guernsey literary and potato peel pie society).  hard to follow.  consisting entirely of letters back and forth between what seems like an endless slew of characters.

i ran some errands, and got this little gem for free at my favorite dog store, prairie dog mercantile.  who can say no to a free 5 pound bag of $19 dog food?  not me.  and maybe it will even help the sophster with her itchies (this will be dog food #4 we’re trying…).

and finally, i made this a while ago, but just had to share.  asparagus pesto.  i love asparagus, mr. halloran loves pesto.  a delish dish we both enjoyed.  make it now.

<3

speaking of other things i don’t like very much (cheery, right?).  i have made two asian dishes this week – something that rarely happens in the halloran household because i really just don’t like asian food.  something about the odd spices and mixing of sweet and sour.  and overuse of peanuts.  (sushi however, that’s another story.  sign me up.  delish).  but mr. halloran likes it, so i tried two recipes this week.  some gyoza and some sweet and sour chicken (recipes from martha stewart everyday food).  edible but not my faves.

now let’s turn this around a little and talk about things that are great, yes?

for one, this girl.

miss nikki has been on medicine for arthritis for 6 weeks now and is like a new dog (although you wouldn’t be able to tell from this photo).  i love this girl so much.  even when she’s barking at me to feed her.  like right now.

also i love this book.

mr. halloran got this for me for christmas and it is GREAT.  it’s about a sudanese refugee and his experiences in the us as well as his life in sudan, including becoming one of the lost boys.  it is so good.  so good.  learning a lot.

tonight i’m taking a break from the asian food and making linguine with clam sauce – much more up my alley and mr. halloran-approved as well.  ciao.

<3

I am keeping this book past its due date.  I love it so.  I must finish it with no interruptions.

I am a rebel.  To the tune of $0.10 per day.

The zucchini bread I made was actually pretty delish, and seemingly quasi-healthy.  I made a loaf (and froze it), and a dozen muffins out of the following recipe:

• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup plain applesauce
• 1 2/3 cups brown sugar
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 3 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

All you do is mix the eggs, oil, applesauce, brown sugar, zucchini, and vanilla together, then add your dry ingredients, finishing with the walnuts.  I actually forgot the cinnamon, but it was still tasty.  Bake in a loaf pan at 325 for a little over an hour at 325, or muffins for 25 minutes.

This afternoon while I was outside watering our plants, Angus got a little feisty, causing Nikki to chase him and bark, then causing Angus to retreat under a chair.  I guess he wasn’t as feisty as he thought.

I’m supposed to be finishing my book for book club on Tuesday (especially because it was my selection – Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer).  However, all I want to do is finish this book I started on our honeymoon – Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn – an excellent piece on the oppression of women around the world.  All world citizens should read this eye-opening account of what women are subject to – not only does it make you aware but it outlines how you can become involved.  The title comes from a Chinese proverb that women hold up half the sky – love it.  Pick this one up now.

I’ve been meaning to read Roberto Bolaño’s epic novel 2666 for the last year and a half.  I’ve started it a couple of times, but kept getting distracted by other novels.  Pure laziness has also halted me, as this book is a hard one to read (this paperback you see here is just one of three that complete the novel).  I’m determined though.  Tonight’s the night.  Take that 2666 – I will conquer you.

Also thinking about gardening.  I planted a bunch of beautiful plants in our bare yard last year.  Many did not make it.  My flower beds look like this.

Why did they not survive you ask?  Well, let me show you.

This little guy used our flower beds and any other new plant area as his own personal toilet.  Next step, buy new plants, re-plant, and surround them with pug-proof gates.  Our utilize Matt’s method – utilizing pokey pinecones as ground cover (it works, check out our thriving clematis).

I scrapped a little this weekend.  I must say, scrapping has lost it’s fun recently.  Sewing is much more interesting as of late.  I think my crafty pages are showing my loss of enthusiasm.

I will end by sharing Matt’s unique culinary creation.  Humalsa.

I’m not quite sold, myself, but Mateo loves it.  And you all must try this salsa.  Especially you, Jennie.  It is quite delish.